Vehicle-spring



2 sneak-sheen 1.

J. N/RIOE. Vehicle Spring.

No. 223,542.- Patented Jan. 13, I880.

WITNESSES HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH PH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2., J N. RICE. Vehicle Spring.

- No. 223,542. PatentedJan.1 3,I880-.

WITNESSES INVENTOR I ATTORNEY N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITMOQRAFMER, WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. RICE, OF PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE-SPRlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,542, dated January 13, 1880.

Application filed November 17, 1879.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that 1, JAMES N. Bron, of Pittston, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wagon-springs, the object being to provide wagon-sprin gs which shall be simple and durable'in construction, of small initial cost, and capable of being readily attached to vehicles of various forms of construction, and also provided with means for easily regulating the strength of the spring; and to that end my invention consists in the various details in construction and combinations of parts, as will hereinafter be described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is a view, in plan, of the under side of a side-bar vehicle provided'with my improved springs. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the springs removed from the wagon-box to clearly illustrate the devices employed for adjusting the strength of the spring. Fig. 3 is a front view of a pair of the springs, the central portion being shown in section.

A represents the box or body of a side-bar wagon; B B, the front and rear axles; O C, the side bars, the opposite ends of which are suitably secured to the front and rear axles, and preventing the same from turning; D, the front bolster, the opposite ends of which are attached to the upper side of the-side bars or spars, C O.

To the under side of the box, and at its opposite ends, are secured the bearing-plates E E by means of screws or bolts a. Each plate E E is provided with a hearing or hanger, b, which supports a horn or bar, F, the latter projecting outward from the hanger b any desired distance to form a firm support for the inner ends of the spiral springs G G, the inner ends of which are bent outwardly, as at 0 c, and provided with set-screws H H for adjusting the tension of the springs.

The spiral portions 01 d of the springs may be of any desired length, the ends of the spirals terminating in straight portions 0 c, which are supported in suitable bearings or boxes I I, attached to the side sills, ff, ot' the body or box A.

The outer portions of the springs are bent at right angles to the straight portions 6 0, thereby forming arms J J, which latter are provided with eyes 9 g on their outer free ends. The eyes 9 g are secured within the shackles K K by means of bolts I h, said shackles being pivoted to the clips L L.

The construction and arrangement of springs hereiubefore described are specially suited for side-bar vehicles, for the reason that they occupy but little space and allow the box or body free vertical movement between the side bars or spars, and further enable the axles to be held against rotary displacement without interfering with the free action of the springs.

The shackles to which the free ends of the springs are attached enable the box to be upheld, and the arms incline downwardly at a slight angle, so that a light weight may be carried and a delicate action of the springs secured, while a heavy weight being imposed upon the springs the shackles allow their free outer ends to move outwardly, and thus take all undue lateral strain from the supportingbearings.

By reason of the peculiar shape and arrangement of the springs G G, I secure the recoil action of the spiral portions thereof and the resilient force of the outer and supporting arms, and hence, by the combined efi'ect of these several qualities of the spring, they will be sensitive to a light load, and strong and durable in the support of heavy strains.

The strength of the springs may be readily varied by regulating the adjustment of the set-screws H H, which engage with the screwthreaded holes in their inner ends, and thus enable the springs to be forced toward or from the bearingplate, and thereby regulate the diameter of the coil at will.

The bearing-plate attached to the under side of the wagon-body may be made of cast or wrought iron, or both combined, as found most expedient in practice.

My improved springs may be attached to different kinds of vehicles-as, for instance, in a vehicle not provided with side bars or spars the two outside springs would be connected at their outer ends with the upper side of the axle, and a middle spring hinged to the under side of the axle to prevent the latter from turning, the two front springs being hinged to the head-block, and middle, front, and under the axle to the linchpin. Again, my improved springs may also be used in sidebar wagons, wherein the side bars rest upon half-springs, the improved spring supplanting the upper pair of half-springs now in use.

These springs may be constructed and adapted for heavy wagons, and also are intended for use on childrens carriages.

It is evident that many slight changes in the construction and arrai'igement of the various parts of my improvement might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A wagon-spring consisting of a spiral portion, a straight portion forming a bearing, and an arm for attachmentto a clip-shackle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the body of a vehicle, of two springs of spiral form on their inner ends, and having straight bearing portions, and arms provided with eyes for attachment to clip-shackles, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a bearing-plate attached to the under side of the body or box of a vehicle, said bearing-plate having a born or bar secured thereto, of two spiral springs, the inner and adjacent ends supported upon the opposite ends of said horn or bar, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a bearing-plate, a bar or horn, and independent spiral springs supported on the opposite ends of said bar or horn, of set-screws connected with the ends of said spiral springs, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the body or box of a vehicle, of independent springs provided with spiral portions secured beneath the body and straight bearings secured in boxes attached to the vehicle body or box, said springs being provided with arms which are pivoted or hinged. to clip-shackles attached either to the axle or bolster, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a suitable bearing attached to the under side of the body of a vehicle, of a spring having a spiral portion supported on said bearing, a straight portion supported in a bearing attached to thewagonbody, and an arm hinged or pivoted to the axle or bolster, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of November, 1879.

JAMES N. RICE.

Witnesses D. S. KooN, L. B. ENSIGN. 

